Marriage contract no. 262: Brandenburg-Küstrin - Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel

Contract content

Article 1 (fol. 109r)- Marriage agreed upon

Article 2 (fol. 109r)- Solemnization and consummation of marriage and date determined

Article 3 (fol. 109r-109v)- Eight-year time limit set

Article 4 (fol. 109v)- The dowry amounts to 15,000 guilders, penny sum fixe

Article 5 (fol. 109v)- Payment regulations with regard to the dowry: 10,000 guilders after solemnization and consummation of marriage, the entire 15,000 guilders must be paid in full within one year, payment dates fixed, payment of 5,000 guilders with a bond

Article 6 (fol. 109v)- The bride renounces all paternal, maternal and fraternal inheritance. The bride does not inherit until all male heirs of her household have passed away; a letter of renunciation is drawn up

Article 7 (fol. 110r)- Trousseau with clothes, silverware, etc., as befits her social status

Article 8 (fol. 110r)- Donatio propter nuptias is set at 15,000 guilders

Article 9 (fol. 110r)- Promised morning gift, prescription of dowry, donatio propter nuptias and morning gift regulated, other prescription ruled out

Article 10 (fol. 110r)- Arrangement of the marriage estate regulated; princely residence of the bride mentioned

Article 11 (fol. 110r)- Pensions, hunting rights etc. regulated, referral and provisions regulated

Article 12 (fol. 110r)- The bride receives 4,500 guilders a year

Article 13 (fol. 110r-110v)- Hunting rights, servitude, fishing rights, interest money, etc. regulated

Article 14 (fol. 110v)- Regulations concerning the subjects on the dower: fines and penalties regulated under equity

Article 15 (fol. 110v)- Equipping the officials etc. with 40 horses regulated

Article 16 (fol. 110v)- Homage and oaths of the officials and subjects to the bride regulated

Article 17 (fol. 110v)- Inheritance of half of the donatio propter nuptias to the male heirs of the groom regulated; interest, rents, rights of use of the bride stipulated

Article 18 (fol. 110v-111r)- Provision for the bride regulated by a prescription letter

Article 19 (fol. 111r)- When new officials are appointed: oaths of honour and oaths to the bride are regulated

Article 20 (fol. 111r-111v)- If the dower was damaged by fire or similar: Compensation regulated, reimbursement of wood and assistance by the groom’s heirs regulated

Article 21 (fol. 111v)- Protection of the bride, of the dower and of the morning gift by the heirs of the groom regulated; insurance of dower and morning gift mentioned

Article 22 (fol. 111v)- Inspection of the dower lands by the bride’s father arranged

Article 23 (fol. 111v-112r)- If the bride dies before the groom and there are no joint heirs: An inventory of the trousseau must be drawn up; the groom receives the lifelong right of use over the trousseau (and the dowry?), after his death the goods pass to the bride’s father, his next heirs and the bride’s next heirs

Article 24 (fol. 112r-112v)- Until the dowry and trousseau have not been repaid after the bride’s death, the bride’s father or his heirs have the right of disposal over the dower lands and 900 guilders annually; oaths and pledges of the officials and subjects on the dower lands to the bride, the bride’s father or his heirs regulated; hereditary homage mentioned; release of the oaths of the officials and subjects to the bridegroom and his heirs regulated

Article 25 (fol. 112v-113r)- If there are joint life heirs and they die: The previous regulations remain valid

Article 26 (fol. 113r)- If the bride or the bridal couple die and there are joint heirs: The estate, the donatio propter nuptias, etc. should be bequeathed to these heirs

Article 27 (fol. 113r-113v)- If the bridegroom dies before the bride and there are or are not joint heirs: the bride receives the dowry, the donatio propter nuptias and the morning gift; the commencement of the dower is regulated; the dower letter is mentioned; the bride receives the lifelong right to use the dower; the bride receives the trousseau; the provision of wine and beer is regulated; compensation for defects, including pensions, is regulated by the bridegroom’s heirs

Article 28 (fol. 113v-NNr)- If the bride remarries: redemption of the dower regulated at 30,000 guilders, provided there are no male heirs from the marriage; if there are male heirs from the marriage, the redemption sum is 25,000 guilders; if the groom’s heirs do not wish to pay out the sum of the donatio propter nuptias directly, the bride receives the annual interest of 1,500 guilders; regulations regarding interest; lifelong right of use regulated

Article 29 (fol. NNr-NNv)- Assignment of the dower regulated; release from oaths and pledges of the officials, bailiffs, feudatories and subjects of the bride regulated; insurance and prescription of the redemption sum paid required; lifelong right of use of the bride over the redemption sum regulated; after the death of the bride, the heirs of the groom or their heirs inherit the redemption sum, if there are no joint heirs from the first marriage, the bride’s father or his heirs inherit the sum

Article 30 (fol. NNv)- Until the 15,000 or 25,000 guilders have been repaid, the bride has half of the dower at her disposal

Article 31 (fol. NNv)- Dower’s letter and confirmation mentioned

Article 32 (fol NNv)- The bride is not made pledgeable for any debts of the groom

Article 33 (fol. NNv)- The bride’s debts after assuming the dower shall be paid by the heirs with the donatio propter nuptias

Article 34 (fol. NNv-114r)- Sale, transfer, etc. of the dower lands without the consent of the groom’s father or his heirs prohibited

Article 35 (fol. 114r)- Use of the dower by the bridegroom’s father or his heirs without the bride’s consent excluded; the spiritual and secular fiefs on the dower lands can be granted by the bride, knightly fiefs are excluded; if the bride remarries, the feudal lordship lies with the bridegroom’s house; labour services regulated; prescribed huts are to be paid for by the heirs

Article 36 (fol. 114r-114v)- Opening of the dower regulated; taxes regulated

Article 37 (fol. 114v)- Solemnization and consummation of marriage regulated; time limit of 8 years set; trousseau awarded

Article 38 (fol. 114v)- Consent of the bride regulated; consent of the groom regulated

Article 39 (fol. 114v)- If the bride or groom dies before the solemnization and consummation of marriage: contract invalid

Article 40 (fol. 114v)- If one party does not wish to fulfil the contract within the 8 years: payment of 10,000 guilders prescribed

Article 41 (fol. 114v-115r)- Compliance with the contract promised

Regulations on inheritance law

Article 6 (fol. 109v)- The bride renounces all paternal, maternal and fraternal inheritance. The bride does not inherit until all male heirs of her household have passed away; a letter of renunciation is drawn up

Article 17 (fol. 110v)- Inheritance of half of the donatio propter nuptias to the male heirs of the groom regulated; interest, rents, rights of use of the bride stipulated

Article 23 (fol. 111v-112r)- If the bride dies before the groom and there are no joint heirs: An inventory of the trousseau must be drawn up; the groom receives the lifelong right of use over the trousseau (and the dowry?), after his death the goods pass to the bride’s father, his next heirs and the bride’s next heirs

Article 24 (fol. 112r-112v)- Until the dowry and trousseau have not been repaid after the bride’s death, the bride’s father or his heirs have the right of disposal over the dower lands and 900 guilders annually; oaths and pledges of the officials and subjects on the dower lands to the bride, the bride’s father or his heirs regulated; hereditary homage mentioned; release of the oaths of the officials and subjects to the bridegroom and his heirs regulated

Article 25 (fol. 112v-113r)- If there are joint life heirs and they die: The previous regulations remain valid

Article 26 (fol. 113r)- If the bride or the bridal couple die and there are joint heirs: The estate, the donatio propter nuptias, etc. should be bequeathed to these heirs

Article 27 (fol. 113r-113v)- If the bridegroom dies before the bride and there are or are not joint heirs: the bride receives the dowry, the donatio propter nuptias and the morning gift; the commencement of the dower is regulated; the dower letter is mentioned; the bride receives the lifelong right to use the dower; the bride receives the trousseau; the provision of wine and beer is regulated; compensation for defects, including pensions, is regulated by the bridegroom’s heirs

Article 29 (fol. NNr-NNv)- Assignment of the dower regulated; release from oaths and pledges of the officials, bailiffs, feudatories and subjects of the bride regulated; insurance and prescription of the redemption sum paid required; lifelong right of use of the bride over the redemption sum regulated; after the death of the bride, the heirs of the groom or their heirs inherit the redemption sum, if there are no joint heirs from the first marriage, the bride’s father or his heirs inherit the sum

Commentary

Contract not divided into articles in the original.

The pages were not numbered consistently.

References

• Archive copy: GStA, I. HA Rep. 78, Nr. 24, fol. 108v-115r
• Contract language archive copy: German

Recommended citation

Dynastische Eheverträge der frühen Neuzeit. Contract No. 262. Philipps University of Marburg. Available online at https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/262.html.

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title = {Dynastische Ehevertr{“a}ge der fr{”u}hen Neuzeit: Contract No. 262},
 url = {https://dynastische-ehevertraege.online.uni-marburg.de/en/vertraege/262.html}
}